The recent success and emergence of the Philippine National Football team — more popularly known as the Azkals — has turned this once basketball-crazed nation into football fanatics overnight. I can still remember the days when only a handful of people actually cared about the sport, never mind watched the games.
I grew up watching football because of my elder brother Chris, an athlete who played the sport since his grade school days at the Ateneo. Like most little sisters, I caught the soccer bug as well.
In high school, my friends and I would set up phone brigades just to wake each other up (since this was the pre-cellphone and texting era). This was crucial for the UEFA (Europe’s football association) games aired at 2:30 in the morning, Manila time — a strategy of ours still followed during late night/early morning games at World Cup season. That’s how much we love the game.
Now that football and the Azkals have gone mainstream, every Filipino football fan will tell you how amazing it feels to cheer for your own country’s team in a World Cup qualifier. It sure beats having to cheer for Italy, Spain or Brazil.
For us ladies, it doesn’t hurt that not only are the Azkals talented but also easy very on the eyes. One of my favorite Azkals is Angel Guirado, whom I was lucky enough to meet during his recent press conference at the Dusit Thani Manila Hotel.
Raised in Malaga, Angel Guirado Aldeguer was born to a Spanish father and a Filipina mother who hails from Isabela. As a boy growing up in Spain, like many of his peers, Angel dreamt of playing football professionally around Europe and early on showed skill, talent and passion.
“During his younger years, before bed he would put on his long socks already and place his football shoes beside his bed,” recalls Angel’s mother, Angela, so that when he woke up he’d be ready to play.
He entered the renowned Spanish youth football system and further honed his skill by playing for his school, San Estanislao de Kostka.
A keen all-around player, he is well- known as an attacking midfielder, playing professionally for Spain’s Segunda División teams, Cordoba and Estepona. He eventually became part of the roster for Atletico Madrid, one of the most popular teams in the Primera Liga. He also played for Ronda and El Palo prior to joining the national team.
A few years ago, Angel visited his motherland for the first time and fell in love with the country, which had a growing football culture. He became interested in playing for the Philippine national team.
On the wings of the Azkals’s success in the international front, Angel’s uncle (and now manager) Rafa Garcia began talks with the PFF or the Philippine Football Federation. Mr. Garcia sent the résumé and tapes of Angel’s football games from Spain. This led to Angel trying out for the team, and his dream of playing for his mother’s homeland came true.
Guirado’s first game for the National Team was against Bangladesh in March this year for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup in Myanmar. Only in his third appearance with the Azkals, he scored two goals in the 55th and the 80th minute.
As the Azkals engage in their historic run in the World Cup qualification rounds, Angel further forged his consistent attacking style as he scored another goal in the memorable 4-0 win over Sri Lanka last June 29. His goal in that match eventually won many surveys as the best goal of that game.
When I met Angel during his event, I was surprised by his approachable and gentle demeanor, which I didn’t expect from an attractive, 26-year-old, 6’3” superjock.
With Rafa as translator, we talked about his love for football growing up in Spain, our shared longtime devotion for Real Madrid, and his decision to move back to the Philippines to play for the Azkals and how excited he was to play for his motherland.
On their upcoming game versus Kuwait, he said not having Team Captain Aly Borromeo and powerful midfielder Stephan Schröck is really a blow to the team as they were suspended for the first leg of the qualifiers against Kuwait. But their deep bench will definitely try to overcome this challenge.
He shared as well the playing conditions in the Sri Lanka game where the football pitch was pocked with holes, and how shocked he was that it passed FIFA standards. He continues to talk about how exhilarated he felt upon seeing the crowd at Rizal Stadium.
A lot of people call him a dead ringer for Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos. When I teased him about it, he just laughed it off. I also asked if he were willing to bare his briefs for underwear endorsements and billboards; he said yes, as long as it won’t offend anyone like young kids.
So yes, girls, he loves kids. He is daddy material in the making. We are all allowed to swoon.
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Grace Velasco blogs at http://www.divasoria.ph.